Brenden Aaronson put the Philadelphia Union ahead shortly after halftime in his MLS debut, but Ezequiel Barco equalized moments after coming on as a substitute to help Atlanta United salvage a 1-1 draw on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Starting in place of the suspended Marco Fabian, the 18-year-old Aaronson's 47th-minute strike was enough to earn Philadelphia their first point of 2019 after consecutive losses to open the season.
Meanwhile, the defending MLS Cup champions are also sputtering out of the gate with only two points, both earned at home, while having balanced league play with Concacaf Champions League commitments.
Goals
Three Things
THE BIG PICTURE:
It looked better for a stretch after Barco's introduction, but the final third is still a major struggle for Atlanta, whose first effort on target Sunday came in the 64th minute. Perhaps some time off will help. Having played six matches in 18 days between domestic and continental competition, those Five Stripes not being called into international duty have 13 days to wait for their next league fixture.
Up Next
- ATL: Saturday, March 30 at Columbus Crew SC (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN)
- PHI: Saturday, March 23 vs. Columbus Crew SC (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN)
